Amusement game



Dec. 30, 1941. M. M. SMITH 2,253,433

' AMUSEMENT GAME .Filed Nov. 12, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 luvnvrog m 'MABEL MARIE SMITH Dec. 30, 1941. M. M. SMITH 2,268,433

AMUSEMENT GAME FiledNov. 12, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 lNVENTOR FigJA. 5M MABEL. MARIE SMITH Dec. 30, 1941. M. M. SMITH 2,268,433

' AMUSEMENT GAME Filed Nov. 12, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 /NVENTOR MABEL MARIE SMITH Fi JB.

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INVENTOR. MABEL MARIE SMITH ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 30, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AMUSEMENT GA-ME Mabel Marie Smith, St. Louis, Mo.

Application November 12, 1940, Serial No. 365,221

2 Claims.

This invention relates generally to amusement games. More particularly, my invention relates to a certain new and useful improvement in amusement games of educational and instructive character and has for its object, and resides in, the provision of a game of the type and character mentioned which includes a playing-board In the accompanying drawings (five sheets)- Figure 1 is a plan view of a board forming part of the amusement game embodying my present invention;

Figures la, lb, and 1c are enlarged endwise matching plan views of the board shown in Figure 1.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the indexing spinner also forming part of the amusement game of my invention; and

Figures 3 and 4 are side elevational views of some of the unique playing-pieces of the amusement game in attached and detached relation.

Referring now in more detail and by reference characters to the drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of my invention, my new amusement game includes a board A on which is suitably imprinted and permanently displayed the geographical map M of a selected or particular country, in this instance and preferably the map of the United States and such selected topographic and geographic features as may be desired, indicated by selected symbols, representations, and indicia, as, for instance, various representations or symbols a indicative of natural or manufactured products, indicia or symbols b indicative of localities, and symbols 0 indicative of railway lines winding over the map M and between various localities b.

Co-operable with the game-board A, is an indexing spinner B, which comprises a flat board or plate-like member I upon its upper face provided with a suitably colored dial 2 and divided into a plurality of suitably colored segments bearing appropriate legends 3, and pivoted centrally upon the plate I for movement about the plate I and over the several segmental legends 3, is a freely rotating pointer or arrow 4.

Also provided for co-operation with the gameboard A, is a plurality of playing-pieces imitatively shaped in the simulation of railway rollcolor as the product a chosen. For example, the

ing stock, as small railway cars C and locomotives D, as shown in Figure 3, the cars C and locomotives D, respectively, being arranged in sets having selected colors and bearing certain legends. For example, four sets :of playing pieces may be provided colored, respectively, red, blue, green, and yellow, The cars C will also bear legends corresponding to various localities b for purposes of playing one type of game, as will presently more fully appear, and, as will be evident from Figure 4, the playing pieces C, D, may, when desired, be hooked or otherwise connected or attached together in the form ofmore or less extended trains.

A number of interesting, amusing, and educational games may be played with the gameboard A and the accessories B, C, and D of my invention. By way of example, I have set forth in detail the following rules and description for the playing of four such games.

GAME NUMBER ONEFO0D PRODUCTS This game may be played by two or more players, each of whom is a buyer of food products a. The object of this game is to operate a train through various localities b supplying such products a and return .to the starting point. Each train is made up of an engine D and six or more cars C, the number of cars C being the same for all players.

.Each player chooses one of four food products a, such as,:for example:

Color Livestock (cattle, sheep and hogs) Red Grain (wheat, oats, barley and corn) Yellow Fruits (all varieties) Green Fish and poultry (this group includes ostriches) Blue Each division has a different color and each player takes an engine D and cars C of the same player selecting grain as his product a will use -a yellow engine D and cars C, and a player selecting livestock as his product a will use a red engine D and red cars C.

Placing of engines Placing of cars The first player refers .to a suitably printed list or so-called State chart (not shown) which may be compiled in any suitable or desired degree of detail to show the products of the various States, listed alphabetically, as shown. If the first State, Alabama, lists his product, he may place a car C at any city in that State. The next player then refers to the second State listed, Arizona; the third player, Arkansas, each player referring to the succeeding State. If a player's product is not shown in the State, he loses his turn and must wait until his next turn To illustrate, suppose the fourth player has chosen grain. The fourth State on the list is California. As grain is not shown as a product of California, he cannot place a car C in that State and must wait his turn. Players continue, inturn, until all cars C are placed.

Assembling of trains Each player now has his engine D at his buying city and his cars C placed in Various States or so-called secondary localities where his product may'be obtained. 'He is now ready to send his engine D over a railway c to pick up his several placed cars C and bring them to his buying city 17. It is suggested that the board A be studied by each player prior to any moves, so that the most direct routes can be chosen. The particular engine D may move over any railroad c in collecting the cars C, but cannot jump across the board A.

Players should spin again to determine whose engine D starts first. The number on which the spinning arrow 4 stops indicates the number of cities or localities I) through which the player may advance his engine D. For example, the particular players engine D is at Fort Worth, Texas, heading west, and the spinning arrow 4 indicates three moves. Such engine D can then proceed through Lorraine and Midland to El Paso. As cars C are reached, they should be attached togetherin the formation of a connected train.

Stop at railroad crossings All trains must stop before crossing another railroad line 0 and the player must wait his next turn before proceeding. To illustrate, a train has reached Barstow, California, heading east and As more than one game is usually played, the points scored by all players should be written down after each game to determine the total points of each player.

Game Number TwoManufacturing and. Railroads The object of this game, which can be played by two or four players, is to transport raw material a from their source to cities or localities b where they are used in manufacturing or for export.

Each player is the buyer of products a shown in the group he has selected, which are as follows Color Group lOil and coal". Red Group 2--Gold, silver, gems, cotton, wool,

and rayon yarn Yellow Group 3Steel, iron ore, copper, lead,

- zinc, and cement Green Group'4Lumber and tobacco Blue The home cities for the above groups are- Group l--Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Group 2--New York city, New York, Group 3Mobile, Alabama,

Group 4Seattle, Washington.

An engine D of the color shown for its group is placed at the home locality b. If two persons are playing, each player will use two groups and will have two trains gathering his products.

Placing of cars Cars 0 will be placed throughout the States byfollowing the chart of States as explained for game number one. The players are now ready to send'out their engines D, assemble the cars C, and bring the connected train back to the home city. Railroads used by players Each player has a group of railroads 0 over which his train should move. If a player uses a railroad c of another group, he adds to the 7 score of an opponent, as explained below. The

railroad belonging to each group and its home city are Group No. 1 Group No. 2 Group No. 3 Group No. 4

Baton Rouge, La. New York City, N. Y. Mobile, Ala. Seattle, Wash.

E. A. C. L E. L. V W. 0 dz S. E. A. G.S E. L.&N W. D.R.G.&W. W. A. T. & E. M. St. E. D. S. S. & A. E. B. & O W. M. & E. Erie E. B.&M W. M. K. E. F.E C. E. 0. Nail. W. M. Pa W; F. W. & DC E. C.& G- E. M.& E. G. T.&W. E. C.&O E. N.O. W. G. Nor. W. C. & W E. N. Y. E. I. C. \V. O'. M. & St. P E. N. Y. E. I. "l. W. O. R. I. dz P W. N. Pac W. K. C. S

1st--l5 points for each car and a bonus of 100, 2nd-10 points for each car and a bonus of 50, 3rd10 points for each car and a bonus of 25, 4th l 0 points for each car and no bonus.

Players should copy the list of their own railroads as shown above.

Moving the engines I Players will spin the arrow 4 to select the one who. moves first. The first player again spins the arrow 4 and will move his engine through as many cities or localities b as the arrow 4 indicates. The owner of the railroad c on which the engine D 'or train stops is given a score of 5 points, whether it belongs to the one making the move or another player. To illustrate, if the engine D or train of the buyer for group No, 1 stops at a city or locality ban the railway 0 known or designated as the Southern Pacific Railroad, the player having group No. 2 would score 5 points, as the Southern Pacific Railroad does not belong to group No. 1.

If the city or locality b at which the train stops is on more than one railroad c, a score of 5 points is given to the owners of each railroad.

It will be seen that it is to the buyers advantage to keep his train on his own railroads c as much as possible. Cars C will be attached to the engine D as they are reached.

The player whose train arrives at the home city or locality b first is given a bonus of 100 points. When all trains have arrived, the points scored by each player are added. The one having the largest score is the winner.

GAME NUMBER, THREE-TRAVELING The object of this game is to travel across the continent by various routes 0, passing through various localities b, such as prominent cities, sites of historic importance, and scenic interest. Mental alertness of the players will mean a better score.

Placing of cars Take one car C of each color from their container (not shown), no engine. It will be noted that each car C displays the name of a particular locality or city b, which the car must reach by traveling from the opposite coast. The

light-colored cars C will travel from east to west,

and the dark-colored cars C will travel from west to east.

In moving the cars C across the continent, each route c goes through one of four centrally located cities 1), namely, Chicago, St. Louis, Memphis, and New Orleans. These cities are called gateways. Players should be alert and notice if an opponent fails to route his car, or cars, through the specified gateway. Any player discovering this oversight will be rewarded with 50 points.

The starting point, gateway city, and destination of each route is shown below Sacramento at Atlantic City. Similarly for cars C traveling east, the one marked Norfolk should be placed at Seattle, Washington, the one marked Miami at Portland, Oregon, and so on down the list until all eight cars C to travel east and the same number to travel west are at their respective starting points. It is to be noted that the particular cars C are of the same color as the respective routes 0 over which they ar to move.

Players now spin the arrow 4 to ascertain who moves first. The inner circle of figures on the board I shows the number of cities b a car C can travel through in one move, and the circle of colors on the board 1 indicates which color of car C is to be moved. The segmental legends or sections 3 will give directions which the player must follow. For example, the first player has chosen the east side and the spinning arrow 4 stops at No. 4 0n the inner circle and the color on the outer circle is green. This means the player can move his green car, which has been placed at Miami, Florida, past three cities on the F. E. C. and A. C. L. railroads, stopping .at the fourth city, which is Albany, Georgia. The instructions on the spinner tell us if the car has stopped at a capital city-for the first move he may count 30 and spin again. As Albany, Georgia, is not a State capital, the player, of course, cannot take this advantage.

Now the player for the west spins the arrow 4. If the arrow stops on No. 3 of the inner circle, which has red on the outer circle, this means he should move his red car marked Augusta stationed at'San Francisco, California, over the red route railroad, A. T. & S. F. to the third city, which is Yuma, Arizona. The instructions in the red section redif a city or locality b is reached other than a capital or an arrow of point of interest, count 5 for each car. As Yuma, Arizona, is not a capital locality I), nor is there an arrow pointing to a place of interest, a count of 5 is made' as there is only one car on the first move.

EAST SIDE Point of origin Color Via railroad Gateway Via railroad Destination New York Chicago C. R. I. & P Tucurncari. Miami Memphis S. F.U. P Portland.

Atlantic City icago A. T. & S. F Sacramento. Augusta Chicago C. & N W Chadron.

Tampa St. Louis".-. C. B. Q.-R. I.-G. N Everett. Washington, D. C New Orleans" M&PQK C. S.C. B Billings. S. Ste. Marie Memphis..." MWPi D. R. G. W. Sacramento. Boston Yellow N. Y. NIH'. a 11- New Orleans" T. a PI E1Pas0 Erie-L. & N.I. C

WVES'I SIDE Point of origin Color Via railroad Gateway Via railroad Destination Seattle, Wash Green C. M. St. P Chicago C. & O Norfolk, Portland, Ore Green U. Pad-St. L. S. F.. Memphis SALE) SI; I i-g. GG.- Miami. Sacramento Red A. T. S. F Chicago G. V. Augusta.

B. M.M. C. N. P.C. R. I. & P. St. Louis Wab.L. V New York.

C. B. & Q. Sou. Pac New Orleans. Sou Washington, D. O, Everett G.WI)T.bC. & N. W. St. Louis L. & N.A. C. L Tampa,

a Les Angcles Yellow.. U.MP.D. R. G. W. Memphis..." I.DC.SI\SLAS. S. M. S. Ste. Marie. Sam-amento Yellow w. 1 .-'u. P.M. N. A. Memphis.-. L. a; N.'N.'w Norfolk.

Now place the cars C on the board, at their respective starting points: the car 0 marked Tucumcari at New York, the car marked Portland at Miami, Florida, and the car marked 75 When the spinning arrow 4 stops on an outside color purple, the player may move any train, as purple is a neutral color.

Thus, the game proceeds, moving cars, making the counts as indicated, and following the directions given between the outer and inner rows of numbers, when applicable.

Count the score at the end of the game thus. Any car or cars arriving at their destination, regardless of which side, are mounted as shown in the table below- 1st count-15 points for each car and a bonus of 100, 2nd countlO points for each car and a bonus of 75, 3rd count points for each car and a bonus of 50, 4th count5 points for each car and a bonus of 5th count--5 points for each car and a bonus of 25, 6th count5 points for each car and a bonus of 25, 7th count5 points for each car left on board goes to opponent.

The one exception to the above is when a car or cars reach their destination by moving in after the spinning arrow 4 has stopped on purple. When this occurs, the player is given an additional score of 15 for each car.

Players may use either four or eight trains for each side, but must use four different colors on account of instructions on the spinning card. Engines D may be attached to cars if only four trains are used.

GAME NUMBER FOUR-CAPITAL CITIES This is a very simple game, but affords great amusement. Players of this game quickly learn the capitals of every State in the Union. It may be played by two to eight players with an additional person to call the roll of States.

To start the game, each player takes six cars C of the same color. If only two are playing each may take twelve cars of two colors.

The person chosen to call the roll of States refers to the list and calls the first stateAlabama. The first player must then give the name of the capital city of Alabama. If given correctly, he places one of his cars C on the map at that city.

Should the player be unable to name the capital city or names it incorrectly, the next player is asked. If the next player cannot answer, the I third is asked, and so on until the correct answer is given or all players have failed.

The player who correctly names a capital city after another has missed is given a car by the player who had the first chance This car, however, is not placed on the map.

If no player gives the name of a State Capital The game thus not only afiords amusement to the several players, but is also educational and instructive. In addition, the board A and pieces C, D, are artistic and attractive and accentuate the interestof the players, both yound and old, and it should be understood that changes and modifications in the form, construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of the game may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An amusement-game comprising a gameboard displaying the map of a selected country, first main and secondary symbols relatively positioned on the map in spaced arrangement indicative of selected localities of said country, second symbols so positioned on the map indicative of products associated with selected first symbols, third symbols indicative and simulative of railway lines so located and depicted on the map as to extend between and connect various of the first symbols, first playing-pieces simulative in form and appearance of railway freight-cars for manual location upon the map at selected first secondary symbols and for travel over the map on the third symbols, the first playing pieces being manually attachable one to another, and an additional playing piece simulative of a railway locomotive for coupling with the first playingpieces for manually moving a connected group thereof over the third symbols from said several first secondary symbols to a selected main first symbol.

2. An amusement-game comprising a gameboard displaying the map of a selected country, first main and secondary symbols relatively positioned on the map in spaced arrangement indicative of selected localities of said country, second symbols so positioned on the map indicative of products associated with selected first symbols, third symbols indicative and simulative of railway lines so located and depicted on the map as to extend between and connect various of the first symbols, first playing-pieces simulative in form and appearance of railway freight-cars for manual location upon the map at selected first secondary symbols andfor travel over the map on the third symbols, the first playing-pieces displaying symbols corresponding to some of said first symbols and being manually attachable one to another, and an additional playing-piece simulative of a railway locomotive for coupling with the first playing-pieces for manually moving a group thereof in connected relation over the third symbols from said several first secondary symbols to a selected main first symbol.

MABEL M. SMITH. 

